WE LIKE WHAT WE SEE…

On Tuesday night it was as if London was in one of those snowglobes and being shaken up by Nature’s vindictive hand. Okay, not snow but horizontal rain and wind like the farts of Hell was more than enough to send normal people scurrying home and the crazies, like me, gallivanting the streets.

The Barfly was home to headliners In Case of Fire, a new Irish rock hope, who were enough to get the presence of a few journos down. And yes, of course we stood as the back like a row of vultures. Hell, we can’t hurt our typing fingers by going anywhere near the front. As it was, ICOF, despite a rackety debut album, came across far more Muse ass-banging Editors than felt entirely comfortable. New single, ‘The Cleansing’ was easily a highlight due to its masterful construction and the soaring/screaming vox, but in most places, other material felt repetitive and slightly ill at ease. The audience were, for the most part, unengaged, more curious onlookers than devoted fans. The final two minutes became what the entire gig should have been – riotous noise, diabolical riffage and the band slamming about the stage. It’s an exhausting task to uphold this for an entire gig, but hell, if the Cancer Bats and The Bronx can do it, then, well…

It was though, the second support band, Brighton’s own Telegraphs, that grabbed the crowd and gave them a noisy shake by the scruff of the neck. Clattering, juddering drums? Fiery minx on bass? Check. Check. Hollering choruses and jagged riffs? Check, check. Slightly hysterical all-action, sweat flinging frontman? Check. Basically there was little not to like here. ‘I Don’t Navigate By You’ is the hauntingly violent new single and it got a squalling delivery that might feel a little Blood Red Shoes to some, but Telegraphs are clearly a band feeling their way up the scale, sharpening their teeth and, if this performance was anything to go by, giving the top slot a run for their money.

Find them at:

http://www.myspace.com/telegraphs